No Freeloaders in My Coop

The Real Guide to Chickens, Culling, and Cold Truths

You’ve heard the fluff. You’ve seen the YouTubers feeding $30 snack packs to birds that lay twice a week. And you’ve read the same soft advice recycled by people who treat chickens like pets with feathers instead of livestock with a purpose.

This isn’t that.

This is the real guide. From someone who’s done it, lived it, gutted the slackers, and turned feed into eggs with ruthless efficiency.

🧠 Feed Facts (No Fluff)

• Cheap 16% layer feed? Works just fine. I’ve used it for over 6 months. My hens lay like champs—every damn day.

• Scratch grain? Overhyped filler. Costs more. Lays less. Let them free-range instead.

• Fly larvae and protein treats? Cute for Instagram. Waste of money if you already eat right.

• And no, you don’t need to bake eggshells. Just crush ‘em. They’re birds—not toddlers.

If they’re healthy, laying, and active on basic feed? Don’t fix what isn’t broken.

☀️ Seasonal Chick Timing

I buy chicks in spring or summer. Why?

• Warm temps mean faster growth.

• By fall, they’re laying.

• By winter? Still laying with lights on.

• By spring? Fully dialed-in egg machines.

Got resources? You can buy in the fall, too. Slower growth, sure—but they’ll be popping off by late spring like nothing happened.

Plan like a farmer. I am not a hobbyist.

💡 Light Schedule Logic

From November to March, my coop lights go on at 3AM. Why? Because whether they’re laying or not, these birds are still eating. And if you're eating? You’re expected to produce.

They warm up, they eat, they lay, they chill. Same rhythm—just shifted. No freeloaders riding out winter like it’s a sabbatical.

🧤 Cull with Purpose

I know who lays and who doesn’t.

• Check the vent: plump, moist, and stretched = active.

• Finger stick? Feel for the bulge; she’s still laying.

• No bulge? No puff? Tight vent? She’s done.

And when she’s done? I cull. Fast. Clean. With full use.

• Head + feet = my dog’s treat.

• Body = rested 3–5 days in the fridge.

• Bones = broth.

• Meat = pit, pot, or dumpling gold.

Nothing wasted. Nothing sentimental. Just a system that works.

🧠 Bonus Truths

• Fat hens lay less. I’ve seen it. Gutted it. Fat wrapping organs = dead productivity.

• Hybrid layers burn out after a year. Great first season. After that? Pit time.

• Big birds eat more, lay less, and cost more. Pretty doesn’t mean productive.

• Chickens don’t need roosters to lay. They’re not magic egg keys. That’s just Facebook nonsense.

• And if you think vent checks or finger sticks are “cruel”? Go back to PetSmart.

  
  

🧨 Final Word:

Chickens that eat, lay. Chickens that don’t, go. This ain’t a chicken rescue. It’s a working flock.

If you want eggs, efficiency, and real results—drop the Pinterest advice and pick up the shovel.

This is how it’s done. No fluff. No waste. No freeloaders.